Cockroaches and 7 other weird foods from around the world

We all know about pizza, hamburgers, and sushi, but there’s a whole world of delicious (and sometimes strange) foods people eat around the world.

Today, we’re taking a trip around the globe to explore some truly weird things people enjoy eating. Some of these might surprise you!

Here are seven of those unusual delicacies people eat around the world:

Let’s start with a real shocker– cockroaches! In Laos, you can find these critters deep-fried and sold as street food. They’re said to be a good source of protein and have a smoky, nutty flavour. While the idea might be creepy for some, for others, it’s a delicacy.

This cheese from Sardinia, Italy, will definitely test your bravery. Casu Marzu is a sheep’s milk cheese that’s left to ferment naturally. But here’s the twist – cheese flies are purposely introduced to lay their eggs in the cheese. The maggots that hatch from the eggs help break down the cheese, creating a creamy texture and a strong, pungent flavour. Most people remove the maggots before eating, but some adventurous souls enjoy them too.

If fermented cheese with maggots wasn’t strange enough, how about rotten shark? In Iceland, Hákarl is a traditional dish made from Greenland shark, a type of deep-sea shark with poisonous flesh. To make it safe to eat, the shark is buried underground for several months, allowing the flesh to ferment and decompose. The strong ammonia smell can be overwhelming, so visitors eat with their noses plugged.

Balut is a popular street food in the Philippines, and it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s a developing duck embryo, boiled and eaten in the shell. The texture can be soft and jelly-like, and the flavour is savoury with a slight ducky taste. For Filipinos, balut is a source of protein and a local delicacy.

Durian is a fruit found in Southeast Asia, famous for its strong, smelly odour. Some people describe the smell as rotten onions. However, those who can get past the smell find the durian to have a creamy, sweet custard-like flavour. The durian is a prized fruit in many Asian countries and is known as the “king of fruits.”

Escamoles are a Mexican delicacy that might make your skin crawl. Specifically, they are the eggs of giant white ants. Escamoles are usually fried with butter and onions and are said to have a nutty, buttery flavour. They are a good source of protein and are considered a luxurious food in Mexico.

Another contender for the “strangest smell” award is stinky tofu, a popular Taiwanese street food. This fermented tofu is aged in a brine that gives it a strong, pungent odour. But don’t let the smell fool you! Stinky tofu is usually deep-fried or steamed and served with a variety of sauces. The end result is a crispy tofu with a savoury and slightly sweet flavour.

There are many reasons why people around the world eat these unusual foods. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of tradition or cultural heritage. In other cases, these foods might be a readily available source of protein or other nutrients. Some people even find the strong flavours and textures to be quite enjoyable.

So next time you’re feeling adventurous, be open to trying something new. You might just surprise yourself with what you find delicious!